Kitchen apparatus and method for spiralizing a foodstuff

Abstract

Provided is a kitchen apparatus ( 100 ) having a spiralizing mode for slicing a foodstuff into a strip or strips, and a further mode which is an alternative to the spiralizing mode. The kitchen apparatus comprises a hand held motorized drive system ( 102 ) and a foodstuff engagement tool ( 104 ). The foodstuff engagement tool engages with both the drive system and the foodstuff. The foodstuff is thus rotated by the drive system in the spiralizing 5 mode. The drive system is adapted to release the foodstuff engagement tool to enable adoption of the further mode. The kitchen apparatus comprises a cutter ( 106 ) adapted to slice the foodstuff into the strip(s) when the rotating foodstuff is advanced onto the cutter. The kitchen apparatus further includes a container ( 108 ) having an opening ( 110 ). The cutter is mounted on the container in the spiralizing mode such that the container receives the strip(s) via the 10 opening. Further provided is a method for spiralizing a foodstuff.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A kitchen apparatus having a spiralizing mode for slicing a foodstuff into at least one strip, and a further mode which is an alternative to said spiralizing mode, the kitchen apparatus comprising:
 a hand held motorized drive system; 
 a foodstuff engagement tool adapted to engage with both the drive system and the foodstuff so as to enable the foodstuff to be rotated by the drive system in said spiralizing mode, wherein the drive system is disengaged from the foodstuff engagement tool to enable adoption of said further mode, which is an alternative mode to said spiralizing mode; 
 a cutter adapted to slice the foodstuff into said at least one strip when the drive system advances the rotating foodstuff onto the cutter; and 
 a container having an opening, wherein the cutter is mounted on the container when the kitchen apparatus is in said spiralizing mode such that the container receives the at least one strip via the opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one additional tool adapted to releasably engage with the drive system. 
     
     
       3. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one additional tool is selected from a blender, a chopper, a whisk arrangement, a masher and a grinder. 
     
     
       4. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 2 , comprising a mounting member for mounting the drive system on the container when the drive system is engaged with the additional tool, said mounting member being arranged such that the additional tool extends from the mounted drive system into said container. 
     
     
       5. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 4 , comprising locking means adapted to restrict rotation of the mounting member relative to the container. 
     
     
       6. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the locking means comprises a first locking member on the container and a third locking member on a feeding tube. 
     
     
       7. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the mounting member comprises a housing for at least partially covering the opening; and
 an engagement mechanism within the housing, which engagement mechanism engages with both the additional tool and the drive system so as to enable the additional tool to be driven by the mounted drive system. 
 
     
     
       8. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a feeding tube on the container for guiding the rotating foodstuff towards the cutter. 
     
     
       9. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the feeding tube is detachable from the container. 
     
     
       10. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is detachable from the container. 
     
     
       11. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein, when the cutter is detachable from the container, the feeding tube is detachable independently of the cutter. 
     
     
       12. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 8 , comprising further locking means adapted to restrict rotation of the feeding tube relative to the container. 
     
     
       13. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the further locking means comprises a first locking member on the container and a second locking member on the feeding tube. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second locking member on the feeding tube and a third locking member on the mounting member are both adapted to cooperate with the same first locking member on the container. 
     
     
       15. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is non-rotatably mounted on the container, or the cutter is non-rotatably mounted in the container. 
     
     
       16. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising locking means adapted to restrict rotation of the cutter relative to the container. 
     
     
       17. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the locking means comprise a first locking member on the container and a further locking member on the cutter. 
     
     
       18. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the feeding tube, the mounting member and/or the cutter each comprise a locking member adapted to cooperate with the first locking member on the container. 
     
     
       19. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is mounted onto or into the opening of the container. 
     
     
       20. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter has a planar cutting surface. 
     
     
       21. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the area of the cutting surface depends on size of the opening of the container. 
     
     
       22. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is supported by a support formation integrally formed in a wall of the container. 
     
     
       23. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is mounted in the container by means of an adapter member that bridges a gap between the container and the cutter. 
     
     
       24. The kitchen apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the feeding tube is mounted in the container via an adapter member. 
     
     
       25. A cutter for use with a container of a kitchen apparatus of  claim 1 , the cutter having a planar cutting surface, with at least one blade adapted to slice a rotating foodstuff into at least one strip when a rotating foodstuff is advanced onto the cutter. 
     
     
       26. The cutter of  claim 25 , comprising a polygonal outer rim. 
     
     
       27. A method of spiralizing a foodstuff into at least one strip using a kitchen apparatus having a container with an opening, a foodstuff engagement tool, a hand held motorized drive system for releasably engaging the foodstuff engagement tool, and a cutter mounted on the container, the method comprising:
 engaging the foodstuff engagement tool with the drive system; 
 engaging the foodstuff with the foodstuff engagement tool; 
 holding the hand held drive system; 
 rotating the foodstuff using the drive system; and 
 advancing, via the drive system, the rotating foodstuff towards the cutter such that the rotating foodstuff is sliced into said at least one strip, which at least one strip passes through the opening into the container, wherein the method comprises disengaging the foodstuff engagement tool from the drive system following said spiralizing.